Why do Republicans never seem to come out ahead politically when they go toe-to-toe with the Democrats? Part of the reason, at least, is that the press, to a greater extent than at any time in our history, is monolithically Democrat. The most important news organ is the Associated Press, whose articles appear in hundreds, or possibly thousands, of newspapers around the country. The AP pretends to be a neutral, just-the-facts information source, but it is nothing of the kind. While there are some good reporters at the AP, the overwhelming majority function, as to issues that are politically controversial, as advocates for the Democratic Party.

Tomorrow, the AP will cover the current spending standoff in an article that will appear across the country, likely in whatever newspaper you read. The APs piece, by Andrew Taylor, begins:

With the government teetering on the brink of partial shutdown, congressional Republicans vowed Sunday to keep using an otherwise routine federal funding bill to try to attack the presidents health care law.

There you have it! Our government is teetering, but those dastardly Republicans have vowed to use an otherwise routine spending bill to try to attack Obamacare. Its all their fault! Nowhere do the Democrats vow, nowhere do they violate routine, nowhere do they attack anything. So whatever is going on here, it evidently is the doing of Republicans.

Three-fer so far - the AP, naturally, Ashleigh Banfield of CNN, and Andrea Mitchell of MSNBC. Full-court press is on. These, mind you, are our high-principled guardians against government oppression. I’d be curious to know where they’re getting their marching orders, but that they are getting marching orders from the Democrats is no longer in question.

That's the problem right there. There is nothing "routine" about these continuing funding resolutions. They are an abuse of the Constitution, because the Democrats refuse to pass an annual budget bill in the Senate that forces them to go on the record for or against certain spending programs.

It's their refusal to pass a budget that can then go to reconciliation committees that is at the root of all of this.

People are getting much to cozy with the "new normal" of continuing resolution bills. Just pass a budget already!

-PJ

7
posted on 09/30/2013 12:42:57 PM PDT
by Political Junkie Too
(If you are the Posterity of We the People, then you are a Natural Born Citizen.)

The media is filled with elitist who “want to make a difference,” meaning tell other people what to do. Naturally they ally with like minded people who have the power to make other people do what they want. The whole pitch of the media is to lie, trick and persuade people to give up liberty and let the elitist decide what is best.

It still exists, they still collaborate on how to present the message. It's what they're doing here, presenting the democrat talking points as fact, pretending they are neutral. If we can't figure out how to go over their heads, or to neuter them, we'll never win.

This morning’s Milwaukee newspaper, the Urinal-Sentinal, had a “FactCheck” section with pom poms, pointing out in list format, questions that concerned folks are asking and then very systematically, excalaiming, FALSE, Pants on Fire, etc. about each topic.

Of course Ocare will be Cheaper, Better and EVERYone will love it, and that Rush is a total Pants on Fire liar.

Otherwise, fair and balanced. Disgusting piece of garbage. ugh.

YES, it’s full court press.

16
posted on 09/30/2013 1:00:31 PM PDT
by WaterWeWaitinFor
(Would Winston Churchill stand still for all this nonsense?)

The only way to fight the media is for every republican who goes on TV to say “We funded the government.” And no matter what the talking head says the response is “We funded the government.” After this happens four or five times the republican’s response should be “Denny Crain”.

Andrew currently works in marketing for an anti-poverty campaigning charity. He holds a degree in journalism and an MA in International Relations. His main interests are the arts (particularly comedy and theatre), the politics of social justice, the environment and natural history.

After this happens four or five times the republicans response should be Denny Crain.

Amen brother. "We funded the government and Obamacare is a nightmare". The longer the shut-down lasts, the more time for rebuttal. As long as the leadership (Ted Cruz?) stays on message along with the other Pubbies, they will win the day.

Is this a surprise? You should have seen my local rag after Obamacare was passed. Nothing but glowing stories about how poor, destitute Americans were now going to get health care for THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIVES!!! Yes, just imagine it....tens of millions of Americans who've never seen a doctor or been inside a hospital. Probably could never buy band-aids or aspirin the poor wretches.

Of course, no stories at all about whether the whole thing was unconstitutional or unaffordable. It was all "hey, look at this wonderful, new program the government is providing for us!!!! Isn't is wonderful!!!! Thank you Dear Barack Obama our great and wonderful leader!!! Gee, I sure hope those nasty, evil Republicans don't try to repeal this wonderful government program."

It still exists, they still collaborate on how to present the message. It's what they're doing here, presenting the democrat talking points as fact, pretending they are neutral. If we can't figure out how to go over their heads, or to neuter them, we'll never win.

Yes, but in reality, the intrinsic nature of the AP itself can be used to predict that . . .

The AP pretends to be a neutral, just-the-facts information source, but it is nothing of the kind. While there are some good reporters at the AP, the overwhelming majority function, as to issues that are politically controversial, as advocates for the Democratic Party.

It is only necessary to consider the fact that the AP is a virtual meeting of self-defined objective journalists, and the fact that it has been in business for over a century and a half, and to reflect on the Adam Smiths dictum that

People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices. It is impossible indeed to prevent such meetings, by any law which either could be executed, or would be consistent with liberty and justice. But though the law cannot hinder people of the same trade from sometimes assembling together, it ought to do nothing to facilitate such assemblies; much less to render them necessary. - Adam Smith, Wealth of Nations (Book I, Ch 10)

The AP has a history of outright monopolistic practices - but even if it didnt, and even if there were several wire services of similar size, the problem would remain. The problem is intrinsic to the wire service concept.

Journalists have a desire to be important (dont we all? Well, journalists are more so). Wire services conversation ends in a conspiracy (even if only tacit) to promote journalism and journalists at the expense of the general public. Thus the journalists promote politicians who complain about the same things that journalists complain about, and denigrate politicians who dont. That leads to the liberal status quo - which is Latin for the mess were in."

25
posted on 09/30/2013 1:23:43 PM PDT
by conservatism_IS_compassion
(Liberalism is a conspiracy against the public by wire-service journalism.)

At least we had reporters who actually wanted to journalists when they grew up as opposed to the “you'll write what we tell you” crew. I know many of them are writing what they want and they're socialists like Obama but we don't have ANY who would risk their job for the story of their life.

How sad for them as well that they can never feel the energy and exhilaration of breaking a huge story.

Regarding: Government shutdowns caused by a standoff between the White House and Congress

I remember in the 80's when Pres. Reagan faced down Congress by keeping his promise to veto a pork-laden spending bill.

The Fed government briefly "shut down" (more or less), with the press declaring a national disaster. They showed footage of Park Rangers shutting down access to our national treasures, weeping children somewhere (I forget the context, but I'm certain there was at least one kid from each major race and major gender in the scene), and so on.

There was a loud clamor aimed squarely at Reagan. This "disaster" was obviously 100% Reagan's fault, because ... The President, willing to destroy America for selfish political gain, was holding our nation hostage by obstinately refusing to sign a reasonable bill sent to him by Congress!!

Reagan was forced to cave.

And the GOP learned an important lesson (or thought they had) from this defeat, namely that: In a White House / Congress showdown such as this, the President will lose.

Then this same standoff repeated in the 90's, with the party lines reversed - a GOP-controlled Congress in their High Noon moment against the Democrat Prez, surrounded by his adoring interns in the White House.

The GOP figured, "Ha! We've seen this exact same situation before. At last! Now it's OUR turn to win one of these showdowns".

Only THIS time around (surprise surprise), the clamor from the media was all against Newt and all the other Congressional Republicans. This "disaster" was obviously 100% Congress's fault, because ... The Congress, willing to destroy America for selfish political gain, was holding our nation hostage by obstinately refusing to send a reasonable bill to the President that he would be able to sign!!

32
posted on 09/30/2013 5:47:47 PM PDT
by CardCarryingMember.VastRightWC
(If my kids make a mistake in the voting booth, I don't want them punished with a community organizer)

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